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Moving Costs Building Insurance

09-04-2019, 22:11 PM

I am a leaseholder and I have suffered 5 water leaks in the period of 6 months from the flat above mine. My property is a large ( 1250 sq.ft.) studio. The management company of the block is also the Freeholder and the leaseholder of the offending flat above. A claim on the block building insurance, finally after the 5th leak, has now been arranged. The works needed are: lay new flooring throughout and complete redecoration to the walls and ceiling. I do not have a copy of the contractor's quote who was selected to carry out the works. Also, I have been unable to obtain from the Management Company a copy of the summary of the block Building Insurance. I am now in dispute with the Management Company as the contractor needs me now to vacate the premises and at the same time the Management Company tells me that the building insurance does not cover alternative accommodation and removal and storage costs. It would be extremely difficult to reside in the studio while works are going on. I do not believe that I should have to absorb any costs myself. I have written and explained my position to the Management Company but have come up against a brick wall. Any suggestions about what I should do next to resolve the situation? Many thanks

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Send a written request by "registered post" to request a "summary of insured cover for your building" and you should get the reply within 21 days or 30 days or failing this it becomes a criminal offence.

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I sent a written request by " registered post " for a copy of summary insurance policy just after the last flood. No reply from them! I have damage to my contents but unfortunately no contents insurance. I intend to pursue the matter via the courts and prove negligence. I am trying to get the building repairs done first before I tackle the question of compensation through the courts as the building claim is currently suspended until I sort out the issue of moving and other issues. Do you know if temporary removal expenses normally are covered by the building insurance in apartment blocks? Should the builder have included this cost in his quote ? or should the management company have added this extra cost when making the claim? I will write to the management company and confirm that they either a) find the funds to pay for removal or b) the contractor will have to lay the flooring and decorate while I am in residence in the studio. Do you think these choices that I am giving to the Management Company are the right ones.

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Thank you JKO - Service charge demands are in order; the paperwork is correct. I have written to the management company yesterday and advised them that since the insurance will not pay for moving costs and this expense has not been covered in the quote, I will remain in residence and the builder, during the day, will have to work around me and my possessions while I carry on with my daily tasks. The works in the room will have to be done in stages and will certainly take much longer to complete. The builder, to get the job, will have quoted on the basis that the room is free of clatter apart from the large pieces of furniture. We shall see what the reply will be! I fear that management company will give me an ultimatum to either move out and let the builder do their work efficiently or cancel the claim. I have also asked the management company if they could re-submit the quote. I do not know how the insurance company would view this action. I am certain that the builder has played me by not commenting on this issue during his first visit to the studio and demanding, after they were confirmed by the insurers, that I am not present while they work and that I pack all my belongings to enable them to move the furniture around.

I am correct in believing that the management company should be registered with an official government approved Ombudsman or Redress Scheme ? Companies House : nature of business : Collecting ground rents and acting as managing agent.....

The situation is even more complicated by the fact that, after I bought the property with a 999 year lease, the original developer/freeholder sold to a large construction company the all empty flats within the development ; some of the leaseholders also sold their properties to the construction company who now have majority shareholding (51%). I received, through the post,a share certificate without notice. The construction company subsequently appointed their own managing agent company to service the block of flats. Therefore, not only we, the remaining leaseholders, have no say in the service charges and running of the block, but also any action that I take against the freeholder it would also mean action against myself.

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If you did not receive a summary of the insured cover within 30 days, it becomes a criminal offence and you can report the criminal offence to the Housing Officer at your Local Council for prosecution or file a complaint yourself at your local Magistrates Court ( speak to the Court Manager who should help you ) .

If you have the contact details of insurance broker and the policy number , you can make a claim under the policy and ask for agreement to pay for alternative accommodation .

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Thank you all for your comments. Much appreciated. I am not having much success with the Local Council Private Housing dept. Apparently they only deal with Tenants in privately rented homes and not owner/ occupiers! I could pursue the local Magistrates Court...... but I have just been made aware of a new development: the current managing agent will be replaced by an a new agency from the 23rd April 2019.

Good to hear it went well with BG Sam.
The plumbers I use are drinking buddies and always answer their phones so I'd know months before if they were hanging up their pipe wrench. I'd also expect them to sort me out in an emergency, even after they've retired....

Somewhat opposite experience.
Used to have a good plumber we used regularly, when we had a major problem (water coming through ceiling - fortunately at home not one of the rentals) and called him got no answer and no reply to messages.. Found out a few days later he had given up being a plumber....

Depends on age of boiler and if they can get spare parts ect - a certain gas company (no names implcated) have to verify that they are willing to do the cover as they would not on my home address as boiler was old but they were willing to do for tenants on newer boiler - if you have a string of gas...

Genuine question: why do people think that boiler insurance is preferable to simply paying for boiler repairs as and when they're needed? (Bearing in mind that on average boiler insurance presumably works out more expensive, or else the provider wouldn't be making a profit)

Massive fight to get any of the local plumbers to turn up, as they are all massively busy.. So British gas landlord cover, included in the price is the annual service and Gas Safety test.
Tenants are very happy when I explain that that cover is in place, its a fairly new boiler anyway but the...